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A rich, spicy rye and Averna Sicilian amaro make this Manhattan particularly delicious. (Photo courtesy of Campari America)

The great thing about three-ingredient drinks: They’re easy to remember.

Sure, the liquid gymnastics performed by talented, creative bartenders is not lost on us — and certainly appreciated — sometimes the simple classics are just the most soothing of sipping salves.

Southforker editor-in-chief Amy Zavatto with Wild Turkey master distiller Jimmy Russell. (Photo credit: Daniel Marotta)

The other great thing about three-ingredient drinks that we’ve said before and we’ll say again: They are so fun to riff on! Think of it as having the perfect, clear directions to your destination that you’ve memorized from all the treks you took, and then one day saying, “Hey, let’s switch it up and take a back road…”

In this instance, the back road comes in the form of several excellent base and swap-in spirits from Campari America: the rich, spicy rollicking Russell’s Reserve rye from Wild Turkey (named for it’s wonderful leader and the longest stander master distiller the world over, the lovely Jimmy Russell) and, sourced from about 4,000 miles from Kentucky, Averna Sicilian amaro, a clever, grounding swap-out for the usual sweet vermouth.

The sweet-bitter punch of the Averna cleaves to the butterscotch and pine-y nature of Russell’s spicy masterpiece. As the evening weather starts to dip into the 50s this month, it’s an awfully nice Manhattan-adjacent cocktail to cleave to on a chilly night — maybe around your first fire of the season.

Pick up the Russell’s Reserve rye at the Hampton Wine Shoppe in Westhampton Beach, and if you don’t already have Averna (seriously, you oughta!), grab some at both Race Lane Wines and Park Place Wines Liquors, both in East Hampton. Happy Friday, friends!

The Black Manhattan

Prep Time 1 minute
Serves 1 cocktail

Ingredients

  • 1 oz Averna Amaro
  • 2 oz Russell's Reserve 6 Year Rye
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 brandied cherry

Directions

  • Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice until well-chilled, about 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Strain into a coupe or martini glass.
  • Garnish with the brandied cherry. Cin-cin!

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